Ex-food officer named mastermind in Rs 77 lakh Chhattisgarh LPG scam, 2 arrested

Chhattisgarh Police have named former District Food Officer Ajay Yadav as the alleged mastermind of a major LPG embezzlement case and arrested Santosh Singh Thakur, owner of Thakur Petrochemicals, along with his son and company director Sarthak Singh Thakur, following a months-long hunt across multiple states.

The case originated in December 2025 when Singoda Police seized six LPG-filled capsule trucks. Due to safety concerns over storing large quantities of LPG at the police station during the summer months, district authorities later decided to shift the vehicles to a secure location.

According to investigators, the alleged conspiracy began on March 19, 2026, even before the trucks were formally handed over for safekeeping. Police allege that officials and private individuals worked together to create a plan that would allow the LPG to be diverted without proper checks.

Investigators claim that Pankaj Chandrakar acted as the key deal-maker in the operation, while Manish Choudhary coordinated negotiations among various parties. Police allege that an initial demand of Rs 1.3 crore was eventually negotiated down to Rs 90 lakh after a week of discussions.

On March 30, 2026, authorities handed over the six LPG capsule trucks to Thakur Petrochemicals in Urla, Raipur, under a court-approved custody arrangement.

Police allege that after the trucks reached the company's premises, the LPG was removed before any official weighment took place. Investigators claim the accused deliberately emptied the capsules and later manipulated the verification process to conceal the diversion.

According to the investigation, officials weighed the trucks between April 6 and April 8, after the LPG had already been removed. Police allege that forged weighment records and fabricated panchanamas were prepared to legitimise the process. Investigators further claim that individuals involved in the conspiracy were made witnesses to the weighment exercise and signed documents at the Food Department office to create an appearance of legality.

Police allege that the accused exploited an LPG supply crunch and heightened demand in the region to sell the diverted fuel through unofficial channels. Investigators claim that LPG siphoned from the entrusted trucks was supplied to around 20 agencies and institutions using informal invoices and without GST compliance.

A key finding cited by investigators concerns the company's LPG transactions during April. Police allege that while Thakur Petrochemicals purchased only 40 tonnes of LPG during the month, it sold approximately 135 tonnes. Investigators suspect that the additional quantity came from the LPG entrusted to the company for safekeeping.

During the subsequent probe, police found that LPG valued at around Rs 77 lakh, belonging to transporters and stakeholders linked to five of the six trucks, had allegedly been misappropriated.

As the investigation progressed, several accused allegedly went into hiding. Police said Santosh Singh Thakur and Sarthak Singh Thakur frequently changed locations, mobile phones and SIM cards to evade arrest. Investigators analysed call detail records, financial transactions, social media activity, toll plaza data and tower dumps from 11 cities to trace their movements.

Special teams travelled to multiple locations, including Raipur, Kawardha, Chhuikhadan, Kanha-Kisli, Kolkata, Pune, Mumbai and Kolhapur. The breakthrough came when investigators tracked the father-son duo to a hotel in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. With assistance from Maharashtra Police, the team arrested them and brought them to Chhattisgarh on transit remand.

So far, police have arrested six people in connection with the case, including Santosh Singh Thakur and Sarthak Singh Thakur. Earlier arrests included former Food Department officials and alleged intermediaries linked to the operation.

Police have identified Ajay Yadav as the alleged mastermind behind the conspiracy and said the investigation is continuing. Authorities are examining the financial trail and the network of agencies that allegedly purchased the diverted LPG, while indicating that more arrests could follow as new evidence emerges.